Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 14, 1999 04:16am | #1

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   Todd,

   I assume you're referring to t&g porch flooring ?

   I do a lot of old porches (50-150 yrs old) and have never seen one with the flooring running parallel to the house. This is a fairly new procedure used with decks, but not with porches.

   A porch has t&g flooring, (except for some New Englanders where square-edges boards were used) a deck has gapped square edge lumber. At least that's how I refer to them.

   You should definitely run the flooring perpendicular to the house, if t&g, and the floor should be sloped slightly for run-off (I usually shoot for between 1/8" and 1/4" per foot).

   As for the material choices, I personally wouldn't touch syp with a ten-foot pole. It's prone to warping in direct sunlight, and it deteriorates rather quickly for something you want to last for decades.

   I almost always use vertical-grain fir, sometimes mahogany when I can get it from my supplier reasonably priced.

   And the painting, you commented "stuff was painted only on one side with predictable results". Never seen an old porch that wasn't only painted on one side.

   If you use good material, pitch for run-off, and lay on a good paint job, it'll last a good long time.

   Good luck.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 14, 1999 05:37am | #3

   *Todd,90 degrees to the joist. Gotta be.SYP is not the best choice, but will last if maintained.My opinion.Ed. Williams

2. 
   Todd_Stock | Jul 14, 1999 05:37am | #2

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   Seems to be at least two directions to run porch decking. Current direction on my (bid in) fixer-upper is parallel with the house - stuff was painted only on one side with predictable results. Options are to reframe porch and go perpendicilar to house. I'd like to use southern yellow pine to within two feet of the dripline (highest wear area), then maybe treated SYP for the last foot or so. Any ideas?